Afterglow
by SplendentGoddess
Summary: If a picture is worth one thousand words, then can one thousand words paint a picture? Inuyasha wakes with the sun to bask in the afterglow of his and Kagome's first night together. Post-manga. Written in present-tense third-person narrative.


Blanket Disclaimer:

Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.

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~ Afterglow ~

The bright morning sun rises slowly into the welcoming Eastern sky, shining happily over all of Feudal Japan, and chasing away the last of the stars who had thought to cling to their twilight blankets of deep velvet blue. Their time has ended. Demanding hues of red and orange now streak possessively across the swiftly brightening sky, tickling fluffy pink clouds that dance merrily on the gentle, late winter breeze. Rolling hillsides of vibrant green descend into sparkling fields that will soon contain rice, yellow rays of sunlight twinkling carefree on the tranquil watery surface. Towering above this peaceful scene, Spring teases with a glimpse of its pending arrival as blossoms of white and pink sprinkle themselves across the once barren branches of a certain, timeless sakura tree.

Resting much closer to this particular tree than any of the other structures within the nearby human village resides a single, simple hut, whose modest construction belies the true birthrights of its illustrious, demonic owner. For that one favor, he is grateful, the owner of this unobtrusive dwelling being a humble man despite his newfound popularity among the local villagers, the inu-hanyou being in need of no such luxuries that he can only vaguely recall from childhood memories of life with his now long deceased Lady Mother.

Within this small wooden hut all is quiet, except for the even, rhythmic breathing of its two current occupants. The faintest measure of warmth can still be found in the ashy fire-pit that was dug professionally into the center of the raised, wooden floor, the only visual evidence of the fire that had burned so vibrantly the night before being the few skeletal remains of used firewood that linger in its blackened depths. The fire will have to be built again…but that can wait.

An innocent songbird lands peacefully on the open windowsill of this small, one room structure, showing no fear of the supposed beast laying within as it playfully ruffles its red and bronze feathers before taking back off into the bright early morning sky. A single white, furry ear turns towards the sound while making no sound of its own, the owner of said ear having no intention of accidentally waking the miracle he currently holds wrapped so tenderly yet also securely in his arms. Lying unmoving on his futon, Inuyasha breathes deep, greedily taking in all of the new scents perfuming the air in the once rarely used hut; the one which the local villagers had built for him over two and a half years prior. These new scents now add an unmistakable feeling of warmth to his once cold, lonely dwelling, finally making the house feel like a _home_ for the first time since its construction. Kagome has come back to him. Finally, the hanyou exhales in a silent sigh of relief, knowing that regardless of what anyone else may truly think of their union, it is her desire to remain by his side, no matter what. That is all that matters.

Opening his eyes to motionlessly take in the sights of everything around him, Inuyasha remembers how his hut had looked only one week earlier, the day before the day of Kagome's return. How swiftly things have changed since that morning which now seems like an eternity ago. His once dusty floors are now swept, his once messy bowls and cups are now all stacked neatly on their shelves, his once untouched fire-pit now contains noticeable amounts of soot and ash, and his once unused futon now provides the comfort of warm, inviting flesh. Suppressing a groan of desire, he remembers well the feel of Kagome's silky skin sliding intimately against his own, the sound of their bodies colliding as their cries of pleasure echoed loudly into the night. Early yesterday afternoon they had become husband and wife before the entire village, old and wise Kaede offering her services to perform the traditional Shinto wedding without complaint, her one good eye having seen all along what it had taken them three long years of separation to finally realize. They belong together. Late yesterday evening, long after the festivities had begun winding down and they had finally been permitted to depart for home without the risk of appearing rude in the eyes of their neighbors, Inuyasha and Kagome had finalized their union in private, joining for the first time as man and woman, in every sense of the word.

Now, lying on their left sides with her warm, nude body spooned protectively against his own equally naked form, his natural scent mixing unmistakably with her own, one thought above all others echoes repeatedly through the hanyou's head. She is his, now and forever. Of course, that also means that he is hers, but that is all right with him. Smiling, he knows he will never have it any other way.

Under the protective cover of her warm sleeping bag, just one of the many items from her time that had been unexpectedly left behind when she had so suddenly been ripped from his world for three long years, the orphaned inu-hanyou finally knows what it's like to feel complete and utter contentment. He is whole.

Little does he know that he is not alone in his current line of thoughts.

Concentrating on not alerting the man nestled against her back of her current state of wakefulness, Kagome also smiles to herself over the memories of all that has happened since her return to the Warring States Era. The miko knows without a doubt that she has made the right decision, giving up her old life in the future to finally be reunited with the second half of her soul. She is whole again, the missing pieces of her puzzle having fallen into place the moment she found herself once again falling through time. She is now where she is meant to be, for that morning, and for every morning that follows, for the rest of her life. She is home.


End file.
